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Envirohealth News: Claims for antibacterial soap go down the drain
Envirohealth News: Mercury-free fish may be in our future
Envirohealth in Blogs: Christmas lists, Australia's smoking ban, and more
FEATURED
Elected officials MIA; Instead Wal-Mart and Burger King protecting your health
Back to school: Are we ready? Are we non-toxic?
Fire retardants: Disproportionate risk to small children
Lead: Celebrate its ban, but don't cross it off your list
7 ways to reduce your exposure to PBDEs
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What is new carpet treated with? What can I do?
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Category Archive
Envirohealth News: Finally, an asbestos ban
We've known the about the negative health impacts of asbestos since the 1920's, and now the Senate has finally acted to ban the stuff from import. Our thanks and congratulations go to Senator Murray and the tens of thousands of asbestos victims who fought so hard for this achievement.
Meanwhile, a product that killed two people and made almost 100 others ill was allowed to remain on store shelves for months after the CPSC ordered a recall. If you've ever wondered how effective that government agency is, you must read this article.
Drilling for natural gas in the Midwest is big business these days, but rigs are moving closer and closer to a nuclear test site. Drilling too close could release radioactive gas. Says one gas company rep, "[. . .] every square mile of land that you set aside that can't be developed is worth a huge amount of wealth." It's that classic conundrum, you see: community health, or developer's wealth.
The Washington Post covers the smoggiest place in America: little Arvin, CA, whose pollution mostly comes from Los Angeles and San Francisco, and from traffic on Interstate 5. Bill covered this story here on Enviroblog in 'If you love your child, move'.
With the summer's spate of recalls on lead-tainted toys, parents across the country are wondering: how do we get rid of this stuff? No one's exactly sure, and improper disposal could contaminate landfills and even groundwater.
Envirohealth in Blogs: Climate change whatchamacallits, crop insurance, DDT and more
A little light reading for your Wednesday.
The FDA has dropped the ball, and Angry Toxicologist is . . . well, angry! It's easy to see why.
Vital Daily Juice at Green Options gives us a friendly reminder to watch our mercury intake.
Effect Measure takes a look at the (newly discovered) link between breast cancer and the banned pesticide DDT.
Joseph at the Sierra Club's Compass takes a look at the taxonomy of climate troublemakers.
The Pump Handle reviews EPA's new rule on lead in drinking water.
Washable? Disposable? The moms at Safe Alternatives for Baby look at environmental impacts, heath effects, and convenience when considering the options.
And finally, at Gristmill, Aimee Whitteman explains the backwards, twisted, vaguely unreal crop insurance policies of the federal government -- giving you one more reason not to forget the farm bill.
Envirohealth in Blogs: Young farmers, coffee farmers, and cleaning the planet
A little light reading for your Wednesday.
Just as Congress is considering taking action to protect factory workers from the lung-disease causing food additive diacetyl, Kraft releases a new flavor called toasted butter. And what does it contain? Liz at The Pump Handle explains how this is a pretty good example of why we need regulation.
How to shop for food ethically, brought to you by David at The Good Human, is a great refresher or guide to someone who's new to the Ethicurean life. I especially like his second point.
Umbra answers a reader question about environmentally friendly laundry detergent with a list of ingredients to avoid. I wrote them down and slipped the paper in my wallet so I'll have the list next time I'm shopping!
On agriculture: Zoë Bradbury writes (on Edible Portland) about her reasons for becoming a (young) farmer and the startling statistics behind who's producing America's food. Meanwhile, over at Small Farm Central, Simon wonders if the next crop of farmers will have what it takes to stick it out.
You might want to put down your coffee for this one: Siel's got a great post up about the Starbucks PR machine and how farmers need fair prices, not charity. Have some time on your hands? Read the whole investigative report at The Sacramento Bee.
And finally, I am so excited about this book: Renee at EnviroMom found a book with recipes for homemade cleaning supplies -- and they're rated on how well they clean. I can't wait to get my hands on it. See the comments for a recommendation on a similar book about personal care products.
Envirohealth News: Claims for antibacterial soap go down the drain
What's new in the world of environmental health.
The federal government is setting itself up to violate its own water quality standards -- by not cutting CO2 emissions. Oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, lowering their pH and resulting in acidification. Yet another reason to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The UK's largest water company accidentally allowed industrial disinfectants to leak into the Wandle River, resulting in thousands of dead fish. No one seems sure yet what the extent of the damage will be, but it's a safe bet that the three-mile stretch affected will take years to regenerate.
Banana companies in the Philippines will not be allowed to continue aerial spraying of pesticides, according to a ruling by a local judge who dismissed the companies' petition. An ordinance against aerial spraying was instituted in March when studies demonstrated the negative health impacts of the pesticides on workers and local residents.
Lead poisoning from toys? Unfortunately, there are lots of other possible points of exposure, as The New York Times outlines in this weekend's Testing for Lead Around the House. They even brought in some really brilliant expert to talk about it:
According to Richard Wiles, the executive director of the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization in Washington, high levels of lead in children 6 and under have been linked to nervous-system damage and learning problems. And the primary source of lead in the home is old paint.“Windows, doors and peeling paint are the primary problem areas,” Mr. Wiles said, even though lead has been banned from paint made for residential use since 1978. He explained that when lead paint has been painted over, peeling or friction from opening and closing a door or window can produce chips and dust containing lead.
And finally, it turns out that all those antibacterial soaps that get washed down the drain (and subsequently fiddle with the sexual hormones of fish) don't offer any more protection from germs than plain soap, at least according to research from the University of Michigan.
Envirohealth News: Mercury-free fish may be in our future
Your environmental health news crib sheet.
Something smells.There's "a veritable cocktail of dangerous and potentially dangerous volatile organic compounds" in your air fresheners, and a group of environmental organizations want the government to do something about it.
Mystery at Upper Mystic Lake. There are ten tons of arsenic and undetermined amounts of lead and cadmium in Upper Mystic Lake. Too bad no one got around to telling the beachgoers, picnickers and fishermen.
Power to the people FDA. Congress is in the process of passing legislation that would help the FDA protect the nation's pharmaceutical drug supply. Knowing that our prescription drugs will be more thoroughly examined? Sounds like power to the people after all.
"Natural" is only skin deep, too. Organic and natural cosmetics are booming these days, but does "natural" mean safe? One cosmetics retailer points out that "there are some interesting and legitimate sources of impartial ingredient information" on the internet. Anyone know of any?
Good news department.Researchers think that making mercury-loaded fish safe to eat again might be as simple as -- wait for it -- stopping mercury pollution. Fish apparently recover quickly from mercury contamination, but getting industry to stop contaminating is another problem entirely.
Envirohealth in Blogs: Christmas lists, Australia's smoking ban, and more
A little light reading to get you through your Wednesday.
Here’s something useful: Treehugger alerts us that sensors for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might be on the way.
All Cristina at Moms Speak Up wants for Christmas is a lead testing kit.
Grist is knocking our socks of these days with their and Emily Gertz’s feature on chemicals and infertility.
Effect Measure takes a look at Australian casinos claims that the smoking ban is bad for the gambling business and is not impressed.
Mark H at Denialism makes an argument for bringing back the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), an agency that spent 20 years helping Congress understand science before being summarily executed in ’95.
Envirohealth News: Rogue Algae!
Your environmental health news crib sheet.
With increased industry has come increased nitrogen and phosphorus in Chinese waterways, and the result is rogue algae.
Chemicals dumped in landfills near Minneapolis have migrated into groundwater --uphill. Yeah, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency didn't think it was possible either.
The Breast Cancer Fund has released a report detailing the effects and possible causes of early puberty in girls, including the probable role of environmental pollutants.
Looks like we're running out of room for storing nuclear waste. Maybe we should take that as a sign?
Are they losing momentum? The EPA will complete only a third of their average number of Superfund cleanups this year.
9/10/07: EnviroHealth News
Asthma goes back to school. In LA, 63,000 students battle breathing problems caused by air pollution and moldy buildings. Can they carry their inhalers at school? Nobody seems sure.
FEMA trailer victims moved to hotels. After concealing information about formaldehyde gas in trailers provided to Katrina victims, FEMA has invited 60,000 people to move out of the contaminated housing and into hotels -- if they're worried about their health. Of course, FEMA's still not convinced that breathing in formaldehyde is a problem; they're assessing the situation.
Nicotine in breast milk shortens baby's naptime. Babies of mothers who smoked 1 to 3 cigarettes before a feeding slept only two-thirds as long as the control group.
Deodorants may be linked to breast cancer. Wait, this is news?
Composting in North Jersey. Northern New Jersey may be one of the most densely populated places in the country, but that doesn't stop residents from spending some time playing in the dirt.
Legislation: Green Chemistry Act passes House Gingrey's bill would fund green chemistry research. A step in the right direction, sure, but a little toothless. All companies should be researching and implementing green chemistry. We're funding research when really there should just be laws in place.
Editorial: The world's a dirty place when you're poor. "[S]ome Americans are clearly more equal than others, especially when it comes to the environment." Because environmental health is a social justice issue.
The keystroke is mightier than the sword
I know, I know. If you're reading Enviroblog, there's a pretty good chance you already care about the environment. But not everyone does, and this newfangled citizen media stuff just might be a good way to begin to change that.
From the minds behind NorthxEast, FreelanceSwitch and ZenHabits comes Blog Action Day. This year, on October 15th, bloggers around the world will be writing about the environment. There's no agenda and no specific message, and anyone who wants to can get involved. The point, according to the action's coordinators, is to
"display the potential and the power of the blogging community, which is a disparate community but one with an amazing size, breadth and diversity. By bringing everyone together for one day, we can see just how much can be achieved, and how much we can be heard."
So we'll be blogging about the environment on October 15th, just like we do every other day. But we'll be glad for the company.
Want to get involved? Go to Blog Action Day and register your site.
Outside the Box: Payments or principles?
Every day people decide whether to adhere to or stray from their principles, or whether to commit to or hedge on their ideas. Unfortunately, money often forces people to compromise on both. This week’s Outside the Box features one man’s five billion dollar principle and researchers’ billion dollar ideas to combat climate change.
Passing on billions
Jeffrey Lee values the land of his ancestors more than the billions of dollars he would gain from selling it to the French energy company Areva. The company estimates the Australian land to contain more than 5 billion dollars worth of uranium deposits. Lee is the only surviving member of the Djok clan, and solely responsible for the fate of the tribal lands containing a vast fortune in addition to sacred holy sites and burial grounds.
Instead of selling the land, Lee is advocating for its addition to the adjacent Kakadu National Park in order for its permanent protection from environmentally unfriendly mines. His inspiring stance illustrates how some things, like our environment, are not for sale or compromise. Jeffrey Lee is leaving a different kind of legacy and inheritance for future generations, perhaps one worth every penny of that five billion.
Thinking outside the budget
Global warming presents a very real problem facing contemporary society. However, for such a universal concern, global warming doesn’t seem to get the attention it deserves other than the ‘gloom and doom’ story in the newspaper every other week. The New York Times ran a great story highlighting actual proposed solutions to climate change, which haven’t gotten the chance they deserve due to a perennial lack of funding.
Some ideas include:
- Carbon sequestration, which would involve creating ‘carbon landfills’ by pumping carbon dioxide into the Earth. The technology and science are practical, but questions of scale and whether or not the gas would stay contained would require scientific funding estimated at 1 billion dollars.
- Collecting solar power in space and beaming the energy down to a receiver station on Earth using satellite lasers. This is significantly less practical since it is estimated to cost 5 billion to build a facility that could power a small city, but with more research and development the amount could decrease significantly.
- Creating a solar sunshade to deflect a small percentage of sunlight from the Earth. This idea seems to be way outside the box and is estimated to cost trillions.
- Geoengineering, which involves shooting particles into the atmosphere causing sunlight to be reflected back into space. It seems odd that shooting particles back into the atmosphere would reduce global warming, but the same principle occurs in nature when a volcano erupts and surrounding regions experience cooler temperatures.
Some of these ideas are never going to be cost effective or practical solutions to global warming, but the only way to find a tenable solution is by funding research and development. The private sector is not going to develop the solution because of the potential for failure, long-term nature, and uncertain payoff that prevent investment.
The government needs to fill the void and seriously commit research and development funding to ideas large in scope and budget demands. Developing cleaner coal, a project currently being funded by the government, is one thing. But big problems require big solutions. Thinking outside the box is always risky, but once in a while it pays off big.
Outside the Box: Going for gold
We are one summer away from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, and the host country is trying to win the gold by going green. This week’s Outside the Box hurdles organic pork, strict air quality control standards, and vast urban renewal in a marathon of environmental stories that might leave you forgetting about lead paint and toxic food.
Hamming it up
The official Olympic pork supplier, Qianxihe Food Group, is changing the way it prepares its meat so athletes won’t fail their drug tests. Special pigs grown in a secure location (one step away from an undisclosed bunker) will be fed organically grown feed and not injected with growth hormone. This of course implies chemicals banned by the International Olympic Committee are regularly present in Qianxihe (Lucky Crane is the U.S. brand) meat at doses high enough to appear on drug tests.
More below the fold...
Continue reading "Outside the Box: Going for gold" »
Outside The Box: Head for the hills!
Ecosystems are fragile like a house of cards: add the wrong component in the wrong place and it can come tumbling down. Worlds are at war as this week’s OTB resembles a third rate science fiction novel and takes a closer look at species invasion and ecosystems in peril.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea
Packs of large, aggressive, and dangerous squid have taken residence in California’s Monterey Bay in this article that should double check for copyright infringement with Jules Verne’s famous novel.
Just how aggressive is this new addition to the Monterey Bay’s ecosystem? The predator’s nickname is diablo rojo (red devil in Spanish) and it not only attacks everything it sees but tries to eat it as well. The eating habits of this “Creature from the Black Lagoon” were described by one researcher, who said “[Their abundance] scares the hell out of me because these things eat so much. They are eating rockfish, hake and shrimp, lanternfish, anchovy, sardine - and actually they eat each other."
Unfortunately, the squid’s new home in Monterey Bay reflects the instability of its old environment, off the West Coast of South America, as well as a potential threat to its new one. The motivation for their emigration is suspected to be the diminishing supply of prey in their traditional waters caused mainly by human actions such as over-fishing. Will Smith isn’t going to hop out of his jet and kick this invader’s behind back to where it belongs ala Independence Day. Political solutions and regulations need to be found and enforced to ensure healthy oceans and ecosystems.
The Blob
Another invader from South America, salvina molesta, an incessantly expanding aquatic fern (read: weed) is threatening the ecosystem of Caddo Lake in Texas. In true cheesy science fiction fashion the town located on the shores of the lake is named Uncertain (so perfect that even I couldn’t have made that up).
This ever-expanding threat is so dangerous that it is officially banned in the United States. Salvina molesta is dreaded for its remarkable ability to double in size every two days and smother 40 square miles every three months. At that rate it would cover the entire state of Rhode Island in about 7 years. Yikes! I guess everything really is bigger in Texas.
Uncertain residents (why does this sound like a bad version of an Abbott and Costello routine?) are fighting back. $240,000 has been appropriated by the Texas State Legislature to fund resistance efforts, and heroes are engaged daily on the front line spraying a government-approved herbicide on the rapidly growing monster.
Unknowing boat travelers dragging the plant from lake to lake are thought to be the culprit behind the invasion, reflecting again how small actions have the potential to cause serious harm to ecosystems.
This land is mine land
Speaking of incessantly expanding invasions, the United States is experiencing a bonanza of western mining claims on federal public lands. Similar and just as worrisome as Salvina Molesta’s expansion, mining claims with the Bureau of Land Management have increased 80% over 4 years. Congress has recognized the problem and is currently holding hearings for reform legislation (H.R. 2262 for you policy wonks). This much-needed legislation would reform mining law put in place in 1872 during Ulysses S. Grant’s administration.
EWG Public Lands Analyst Dusty Horwitt testified at the hearings:
“Our research shows that in 12 Western states, mining claims have increased more than 80 percent since January 2003. Over an eight-month period, from last September to this May, the BLM recorded more than 50,000 new mining claims.”
Many of these claims are just miles from national treasures such as Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. Mr. Horwitt pointed out there have been 805 claims 5 miles from the Grand Canyon since January 2003. Although they don’t contain the most recent data, these interactive Google mining maps from our December 2006 report help illustrate the severity of the problem.
Outside the Box: Conventional wisdom
Conventional wisdom is by definition logical, predictable, and normal — in other words, a snooze fest. This week the devil buys ice skates and pigs brush up on their aviation skills as OTB takes a closer look at conventional wisdom.
CW: The Bush Administration thinks global warming is a politically motivated myth generated by elitist intellectuals. President Bush’s stance was consistent enough for Will Ferrell to lampoon, and with his ties to the energy industry his policy seemed set in stone.
OTB: The Wall Street Journal claims President Bush is seriously considering emission caps to help combat global warming after intense lobbying from domestic business leaders and foreign allies. He must really be feeling the heat if he is considering changing policy after two terms of denial and stall tactics. Next, Charlton Heston will be advocating for gun control. After this reversal anything is possible. Well, almost: Surprise, surprise, Dick Cheney is strongly opposed to emission caps. Now that is conventional wisdom to take to the bank.
CW: Organic food might contain fewer pesticides, but it has a much lower yield.
OTB: A three-year study authored by University of Michigan professors reveals organic farms may have yields equal or great to conventional pesticide laden methods. Organic farming is also more beneficial for the environment as run off from fertilizers can create dead zones. Excited by the possibilities of organics? View EWG’s work on the subject and pay close attention to the organics provision in the upcoming congressional Farm Bill.
CW: As this article so delicately puts it, “Talking about climate change at a Formula One race might at first glance seem like praising celibacy in a brothel.”
OTB: Formula One racing, an organization which governs the rules and sets standards for a series of races called the Grand Prix, is claiming it wants to be a leader in fighting global warming. While the current rules promote burning as much gas as possible to cross the finish line first, the governing body is considering a switch to smaller engines and even converting to bio-fuel. President Bush would surely approve.
Outside the Box: Show me the money!
Need smart, sound financial tips? Contact a broker. Interested in the bizarre ways people are making money using kegs, beetles, and rats? Read on, because this week’s Outside The Box is green in more ways than one.
Keg Stand
Kegs across the nation have been mysteriously disappearing in the past few years in a matter sure to concern college students everywhere. Jeff Becker, president of the Beer Institute (where do I apply!), reported industry losses of close to $50 million a year from the missing kegs. The problem is simple economics and a twisted form of recycling. A keg deposit is typically around $20, but with metal prices rising scraping a keg at a metal yard can fetch a hefty $55 depending on the location. Thieves are making a tidy profit from snatching unprotected empty kegs and costing consumers. Michigan has tripled its deposit fee and other states could follow if the problem persists. Remember, this kind of recycling is not only illegal, but wasteful since kegs can be used for 20 years or longer. Make a stand for the environment (and your wallet) and protect your kegs!
It’s Been A Hard Day’s Night
...And insect smugglers have been working like dogs illegally trying to ship a container filled with 1,500 dead beetles from Thailand to a French collector. Some of the beetles were endangered species, including the ground beetle, noted for its ability to spray foul -smelling gas from its abdomen. The black market for wild animals is the third-most profitable smuggling operation behind only illegal weapons and drugs- and that is something to make a stink about.
Tastes Like Chicken
Hundreds of rats are being shipped alive across China and being consumed in restaurants throughout the country. Unlike the beetle smuggling it is completely legal, although gross and yucky. China’s upper class likes to eat exotic food and the millions of rats displaced by a flooded lake fit the bill. Dishes at these restaurants can cost as much as $20! Bon Appetit.
Outside the Box: Green goes gray and more
Outside the Box is Enviroblog's weekly column of stories "outside the norm and refusing to conform."
Packaging lite:
In the competition for the title of "Official Greenest Corporation in the Universe", what you sell is only slightly more important than what you sell it in. Cincinnati's Enquirer is reporting that many of the country's biggest consumer goods and packaging companies have begun investigating ways to package products more sustainably. By packaging products in ways that pack more easily and produce less waste, companies can save money (on materials and shipping) and the Earth at the same time.
Below the fold: rude cows, and the environmental movement grows up.
Continue reading "Outside the Box: Green goes gray and more" »
Organics: Growing bigger every day
I read blogs for a living.
Okay, I also write, and edit, and coordinate, and track numbers, and a whole host of other things. But every day I receive links to interesting, diverse blogs where people who may have nothing else in common can agree on this one thing: they want to see more support for organics.
EWG Action Fund's Grow Organics petition, which asks Congress to include strong provisions for organics in this year's Farm Bill, is nearing 18,000 signatures. That's a lot of people who want better access to organic food, but we know there are plenty more out there. Our goal is to have 30,000 signatures by July 15th.
"But Amanda," you're thinking, "that's 12,000 signatures in less than ten days! Can we do it?"
I think we can. I know there are well over 12,000 more people out there who will sign this petition -- but they can only sign it if they see it. So spread the word! Post it on your blog (you can pick up a badge here), Join the Facebook group (and kudos to the person who originally came up with that idea), and email your friends and family. Tell Congress to Grow Organics!
Plenty of people are talking about the Grow Organics campaign, so if you're looking for some good blog-reading, well, look no more! If you're a coffee drinker, check out Coffee and Conservation. The family at Owlhouse have chosen to spend the year traveling and volunteering on organic farms, and they've got some amazing stories to tell. Kim (of Culinate) wrote a guest post about the campaign in the Thought Kitchen, where sustainable clothing company Nau blogs. 2-10 is a self-described eco-bloggin', tree huggin', dancin' crunchy mama, and she thinks organics are the way to go. Plenty Magazine's Action blog is the new-media version of 50 Things YOU Can Do to Save the Earth. Bonnie at The Ethicurean urges readers to "do -- not just chew -- the right thing", and when you're done she'll fill you in on all the food news that's fit to print. Blue-Green Marble's readers were treated to a follow-up post on organics and the farm bill, and over at Homemade the call to action is slipped neatly into a post about farmers and salad. I even came across the petition posted on Craigslist!
Keep up the good work! Post about the petition on your blog this week, and I'll put you right here in the roundup next week. Did I miss your blog? Drop me a line with a link!
Outside the Box: Ship shape & smelly energy
Enviroblog's new weekly column, Outside The Box, features stories outside the norm and refusing to conform.
This week's Outside the Box highlights people finding creative uses for mundane and even gross materials. It might just be the only place on the web with Viking ships, cow dung, plastic bottles, and ethanol all in one feature. Yes, that's right, I'm bragging about it.
Viking Quest
Who said recycling had to be boring? Not these Juneau conservation groups building a twenty-foot Viking boat reusing old fishing rods, nets, and 5,000 plastic drink bottles. Instead of conquest and plunder this longship will serve as a constant (and creative) reminder about the long-term damage plastics can wreck on the high seas. And why the heck not? These conservation groups had a brilliant idea if you ask me. In addition to inspiring recycling, it seems like a fantastically inexpensive way to build a boat. My grandfather always said the best way to simulate owning a boat was to take a cold shower while ripping up $100 dollar bills. If I am ever going to command a vessel this is probably my best bet. The question is…can they make me a Cutter?
Waste Not
Cow dung is now being used to produce gas -- but not the kind traditionally associated with manure. A Nebraskan company, E-3 Biofuels, has discovered a method to use cow pies to reduce the price of ethanol up to 30 cents a gallon. Basically, the byproducts of the ethanol making process are fed to the cows, and the er… byproducts of that are then used as an energy source to make ethanol. It all makes for a very elegant and somewhat yucky system. If it lowers the price I’m paying at the pump though, I will go out there and shovel it myself.
Quick picks from today's NY Times
Burger King to start buying eggs and pork from non-CAFO suppliers [Link]
'We poisoned the dog food' says Deborah Blum, science journalism professor [Link]
"A former top auditor at the Interior Department accused senior officials on Wednesday of prohibiting him and other investigators from recovering hundreds of millions of dollars in underpayments from oil and gas companies that drill on federal land and in federal waters..." [Link]
In the news: January 19, 2007
Are Wal-Mart's 'organics' organic?- A year after Wal-Mart laid out ambitious plans to become a much bigger player in the organic foods business, the giant retailer is running into trouble over its organic effort with consumer activists and government regulators.
How cellphones are getting greener- Cellphones that contain toxic chemicals are still being sold in Latin America and other developing regions. But thanks to strict European regulations, there are progressively fewer phones being made with cadmium, lead and other dangerous materials.
Ex-workers ask HLL to accept liability for mercury deaths- The death of a man who had worked for a Hindustan Lever thermometer factory for 18 years brought hundreds of ex-employees, who had also been exposed, to the streets. The factory has been ordered shut and 300 tonnes of mercury waste sent back to US.
Global warming emerges as 2008 election issue-Presidential candidates for 2008 mostly agree that global warming is a problem that merits government action, a signal that debate on the issue will be more practical than conceptual.
American weather forecasters do battle over mankind's role in global warming- A leading climatologist on the Weather Channel in the United States has caused a squall in the industry by arguing that any weather forecaster who dares publicly to question the notion that global warming is a manmade phenomenon should be stripped of their professional certification.
Study on Nicotine Levels Stirs Calls for New Controls- A Harvard study concluding that cigarette makers have for years deliberately increased nicotine levels in cigarettes to make them more addictive led to renewed calls Thursday for greater federal oversight of the industry.
In the news: November 3, 2006
Breast cancer may be linked to mother's childhood— New thinking on the causes of breast cancer suggests the disease's origins may be found not in anything a woman has done, but in what her mother — and possibly her grandmother — did before her. The findings further suggest that tiny exposure to hormone-like industrial chemicals early in life can have profound effects not just later in adulthood, but in future generations as well.
Fisheries face collapse by 2048- All of the world's fishing stocks will collapse before midcentury, devastating food supplies, if overfishing and other human impacts continue at their current pace. Already, nearly one-third of species that are fished — including bluefin tuna, Atlantic cod, Alaskan king crab, Pacific salmon and an array in California fisheries — have collapsed, and the pace is accelerating.
Continue reading "In the news: November 3, 2006" »
In the news: October 30, 2006
Rich Nations' greenhouse gases up in 2004- Greenhouse gas emissions by industrialized nations rose in 2004 to the highest levels since the early 1990s. Emissions by 40 nations, including backers of caps under the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol and outsiders led by the United States, rose to 17.9 billion tones in 2004 from 17.8 billion in 2003 and 17.5 billion in 2000.
Mercury triggers premature birth- The more mercury pregnant women are exposed to, the greater chance they have of giving premature birth to babies. New study showed that women with high levels of mercury in cord blood are three to five times more likely to give premature birth, which is to deliver a child in less than 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Urgent climate action will cut economic fallout- A report on the economic costs of climate changes shows the longer the world waits to tackle global warming, the greater the bill will be. The report said that ignoring climate change could lead to economic upheaval on the scale of the 1930s Depression.
Continue reading "In the news: October 30, 2006" »
In the news: October 26, 2006
EU calls for ban on mercury- The European Commission on Thursday asked EU nations to back a ban on exports of mercury from 2011 as part of efforts to cut down the global supply of the highly toxic chemical. The EU is the world's biggest exporter of mercury, which is gradually being phased out by industry.
Mobile calls put sperm on hold- Men who spent hours talking on their mobile phone had significantly lower sperm counts than usual, according to a new study. Study found that sperm count, viability, motility and shape declined as mobile phone usage increased.
Obesity wastes fuel, study shows- If people want to spend less at the pump, they should lose some weight. That's the implication of a new study that says Americans are burning nearly 3.8 billion more liters of gasoline each year than they did in 1960 because of their expanding waistlines. Simply put, more weight in the car means lower gas mileage.
Continue reading "In the news: October 26, 2006" »
In the news: October 25, 2006